Reincarnation
by hetaliafangirly
Summary: 1000 years in the future, Jack meets a man who looks incredibly like someone he used to know.
1. Prologue

John Williams sat in the pub down the road from his apartment, sipping a beer and trying to figure out how to win back his ex-girlfriend, Lyra Hallon, who had just dumped him earlier that day.

"Would you like me to read your cards?"

John looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared across from him and frowned. "Aren't you a little young to be in here?" He couldn't figure out how this girl, a mere child, had gotten into the pub. Weren't they supposed to be age restricted?

"I'm older than I look." The girl said with a sly smile. "Would you like me to read your cards?" She repeated, taking out her tarot cards and shuffling them.

"I don't really believe in that sort of thing." John offered politely, taking another sip of his beer. Apparently the girl took that as a yes, as she laid three cards out on the table.

"An impossible man from your past life will come to you." she told him, examining the cards. He raised an eyebrow at her, watching as she laid three more cards on the table beside them. "He will bring danger into your life, and you will hurt him thrice." She drew one more and handed it to him. He looked down at it. It was not a tarot card, like the ones spread across the table, but an ordinary playing card-the Jack of Hearts. "The Jack will come and steal your heart." John looked at the card, frowning, and wondering what that could mean, then looked back up at the girl. She and her tarot cards were no where to be found. He looked all around, but there was no sign of her. She had vanished, just like she had appeared. He sighed, tucking the card into his jacket pocket, all thoughts of his ex-girlfriend forgotten as he drank the rest of his beer.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _Sorry, I forgot the authors note in the prologue. I hope you like this and I think it should be noted that I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters._

Chapter 1

After Gwen had died, Jack rarely returned to Earth. He had little reason to. After a while, he fell into a patterning of visiting twice a year-once on Ianto's birthday and once on Ianto's day of death. Sometimes he would stay a couple days, but mostly he didn't like being there. Too many memories-both good and bad-were associated with that planet.

The year was 3047. It had been over a thousand years since Ianto's death, and Jack had never forgotten him. The way he'd smelled, the feel of his soft hands against Jack's rough and calloused ones, the sound of those beautiful Welsh vowels whenever he spoke, the way his baby blue eyes seemed to pierce through Jack, all deeply ingrained in Jack's memory. He had made a promise not to forget. And though it was hard, he had kept it thus far-he would never forget his Jones, Ianto Jones.

It was August 19th, Ianto's birthday. Jack walked into a small coffee shop in Cardiff. He attempted to try a different coffee shop each time he visited (he'd yet to find one as good as Ianto's, much to Jack's disappointment). The shop seemed empty when he entered. "Hello?" He called out as he looked around the shop. An old man appeared from behind the counter.

"John!" The man barked, turning to the back of the shop. "Customer!" Another man emerged from the back of the shop, rolling his eyes at the first man. Jack gasped, not believing his eyes. "John" was the spitting image of Ianto Jones.

"Sorry, what would you like, sir?" John asked. His Welsh accent wasn't quite as pronounced as Ianto's had been, but otherwise, Jack noted, John even sounded just like Ianto. Jack quickly regained his composure and answered the man.

"What do you recommend?" Jack asked. "Though I'm sure anything made by you is bound to be delicious." He smiled and winked at John, who promptly turned red.

"Ah, how about the house blend?" John offered, not sure what Jack might like.

Jack shrugged. "Sounds good to me." He said with another flirtatious grin. John quickly turned away and set about brewing a cup. "You guys do it the old fashioned way?" Jack asked curiously. By this time, you could have a warm cup of coffee in seconds with a mere push of a button, but they actually had an old coffee maker, similar to the one they'd had in the Hub, Jack thought, with a pang of sadness.

John smiled hesitantly at Jack. "Mr. Brown, the owner, he says its better that way." He offered. Jack nodded thoughtfully, having grown accustomed to the twenty first century's way of doing things. John seemed surprised. "Most people would disagree."

Jack grinned mischievously. "I'm not most people." There was a pause. "Which do you prefer?"

"Today's coffees are dull and flavorless in comparison to the slower brewing method." John answered without even thinking. "They say good things take time." He was clearly passionate about the topic. Jack was having a hard time reminding himself that this wasn't Ianto.

"I couldn't agree more." Jack said, prompting a small smile from John.

"I think your coffee's about finished." John said, using that as an excuse to halt their conversation as he returned to the coffee maker to finish Jack's coffee. He returned a moment later with a mug of coffee. "Cream and sugar?" He offered.

Jack nodded. "Two cream, one sugar." He watched as John stirred in the cream and sugar with the same care that Ianto always had, then handed it to him. "Thank you." Jack said as he took the mug, then paid John, tipping more than necessary.

"Hope it's to your liking sir." John offered as Jack retreated to a table with his coffee.

Jack took a sip, then moaned into his cup. It was unbelievably perfect. He closed his eyes, and for a moment he was back in the Hub, with Owen and Tosh and Gwen and Ianto, and everything was perfect as it had once been.

"Are you okay sir?"

John's voice brought Jack back to the present. He reluctantly opened his eyes, then nodded. "This coffee is just… phenomenal." Jack explained, making John smile slightly with pride. "You know," Jack added, "I've been searching over a thousand years for a coffee this good." John smiled uncertainly, not sure if Jack was being serious. Jack chuckled softly. There was a brief silence, during which Jack drank more of his coffee, savoring every last drop. "So…" Jack started again, feeling hopeful about this man who was so like his former lover. "Uh, would you perhaps be interested in going out, maybe seeing a film with me? I hear there's a theatre in town showing some Bond films." Jack offered hopefully.

John frowned, and for a moment Jack thought he'd upset him, perhaps made his move too early. Then John said. "How did you know I liked Bond?"

Jack let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Lucky guess?" He suggested, not knowing he to explain how he really knew. sensing John was still hesitant, Jack added, "It doesn't have to be anything serious. I'm probably not going to be in Cardiff long anyway."

John considered it for a moment. "Oh, I suppose one date won't kill me." he said, and Jack's face lit up.

Finishing his coffee with a smile on his face, Jack stood. "How does tonight at seven sound? It's at West Point Theatre."

John allowed himself a small smile as he took Jack's empty mug to be washed. "Sounds great. I'll see you there." John said. As Jack, feeling, rather satisfied with himself, began to leave, John called. "Oh, and sir?" Jack turned back to face John. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"It's Jack." He said. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Well, Captain Jack Harkness," John said, trying out the name, "I really like that coat."

Jack couldn't resist a smile. "Glad to hear it." He said, then walked out the door.

Whatever gods were out there, Jack was thanking them for giving him a second chance with Ianto.

As John walked back to his apartment at the end of the day, he thought about the mysterious Captain. He didn't know why he had accepted the man's offer. It was like something deep inside John trusted him. He'd hardly even met the man. He didn't even like men. He still loved Lyra, at least he thought so. How was going on a date with this rather dashing) man going to affect his chances of getting back with Lyra? He sighed heavily, running one hand through his hair while shoving the other in his jacket pocket. He paused for a moment in his walking, withdrawing something from his pocket. It was the playing card from the previous night. He had forgotten about it, until now. As he stared at the card, he recalled what the girl had said. "The Jack will come and steal your heart." Was it coincidence that the man's name was Jack? Perhaps, but John thought otherwise. Maybe it was a bad decision, agreeing to the date. Maybe he shouldn't go. But then, what harm could one date be? John decided to brush those thoughts away. He was probably just overthinking things. Again.


End file.
